And Then There's Best Friends
by pjjammjamm
Summary: A friend will call you in a prison. A good friend will write to you in prison. A best friend will be sitting next to you in prison, saying, "That was awesome." But James Potter was dead, and Sirius Black was very much alone. A history of their friendship


"_**A friend would call you in prison. A good friend would visit you in prison. A best friend would end up next to you in prison, saying, "that was awesome."**_

James Potter watched with amusement and curiosity as a small boy with dark hair ran across the Quidditch pitch, his arms wrapped around something nearly too large for him to carry.

Now that he studied the boy from broom height, he looked about James's age, and his smile said that he had done something wonderful. This something, however, also seemed to have all of the Quidditch players on the English national team chasing after him.

The boy James was studying must have felt James watching him, because his eyes drifted for a moment in the sky before focusing on James, who was only a few feet above him, flying in laps and waiting for his father to come out.

"Can I borrow your broom?" He called out, breath coming in short gasps.

James considered everything. He had gone with his dad to pick up his new-model broom, but in his opinion (as a six-year old,) his dad was taking entirely too long. Besides, he had what he had come here to get.

"No. But I can get you out of here. Come on, we can both fit." He lowered himself just enough for the boy to mount while continuing to run. Still clutching the package in his arms, the boy dove for the broom.

"Thanks, mate." He gasped, panting very much like a dog.

"No problem." James replied, surprised to find that he meant it.

"You know, this could get you into trouble too." The boy said, just as James heard his father shouting his name. Ignoring the calls, James nodded.

"That's what I figured." Glancing behind him, to where the boy was sitting, James asked, "What did you do to get them all to chase you, anyways?" All of the Quidditch players had come onto the field, but in their haste had forgotten their brooms.

James's new friend smirked, looking over his shoulder and down to specks that now represented Britain's Quidditch team.

"I decided to borrow their quaffle."

"That shiny one kept in the case?" James asked, amused. As soon as they had come in, his father had made him swear not to touch it, saying it was a sacred good-luck charm from a big game.

"Yup! That's the one!" James's new friend said with pride, now positively beaming.

James laughed, already liking the boy. "I was thinking of nicking that myself." He replied, looking forward again, but taking his right hand off of the broom to offer it to the boy. "James Potter."

"Sirius Black." The boy replied, smiling and shaking the offered hand rather hard.

And that was the first time Sirius Black got James Potter into trouble. It sure wouldn't be the last.

* * *

The Hogwarts Express engine gleamed, scarlet in color, blowing steam over the heads of the wizards, witches, and even muggles wishing their families a happy term. James himself had just escaped his crying and sobbing mum and was now pushing his cart around, half-looking for a compartment, but mostly looking for Sirius. He knew that Sirius's family was thinking about not letting him go to Hogwarts, and wanted to make sure his friend had arrived there on time.

He was on time, all right. His family was nowhere to be seen, and already Sirius Black was in trouble.

"Sirius! What are you doing?" He asked, watching as Sirius glowered at the other boy sitting on the floor in front of him.

The boy looked like he was in third or fourth year, about a head taller than either of them and a lot more muscular.

"He was commenting on my…family." Sirius hesitated at saying it, and James knew they would be talking later about it, whether Sirius wanted to or not. But right now, getting into a fight with a boy who already looked like the school bully was a thing only Sirius would do.

The boy, who was now overcoming his shock, pushed back his almost white pale blond hair and narrowed his grey eyes at the two of them. He looked ready to punch back, until James gripped the neck of his friend's shirt and guided Sirius away.

Reluctantly, Sirius followed James example, and ran. They would have to put up with Lucious Malfoy in many years to come because of that hit.

* * *

"Come on, and keep it down! You don't want to wake our new dorm mates up, do you?" Sirius hissed, moving carefully through the mess that had been James's attempt at finding his invisibility cloak.

"Sirius, do we really need to start this on the first night? I mean, aren't you tired?" James asked, even though both boys knew neither of them were really tired.

"No!" Sirius answered anyway, stubborn.

"Fine. Let's go."

"Go where?" A new voice broke their conversation. A boy with brown hair and big eyes emerged about two seconds later.

"Uh, no where, umm…"

"Remus." The boy prompted, offering a hand. "Remus Lupin. And really, it's all right. I just wanted to know."

"We were just going to wander a bit, and get a feel for the place. Tomorrow night we were going to begin." James replied, already at ease with Remus.

"Begin what?" the boy asked, sitting on the bad and watching as Sirius and James walked towards the middle of the room. James wrapped the cloak around his shoulders, and Sirius instinctively stepped under it.

"Bringing laughter to Hogwarts." Sirius, whose head remained visible, replied. At Remus's look of confusion, he explained. "Pranks."

Remus smirked, and, suddenly looking shy, asked, "Can I come? I swear I won't tell." Sirius looked like he would object, but James knew how easily Sirius could mess things up quickly, and instead beat Sirius to the punch and said,

"Sure. The more the merrier!"

Remus, grateful, walked over and slipped under the invisibility cloak. He was small, so he fit just right. James gave Sirius a look that said clearly, `right?'

Sirius just nodded, gave Remus a somewhat forced smile, and said, "Right. More the merrier!"

Two days later, a mystery group who would come to be called the Marauders started what would go into Hogwarts history as `prank season.' Prank season stopped when the Marauders did.

Never.

* * *

"How could you not have told us something like this?" James demanded as Sirius tried to calm him down. Remus was upset enough as it was, they didn't need a fight. "I mean, maybe not right away, but waiting this long to come out with it? And you never did! You left us to figure it out for ourselves!"

"What did you expect me to say? `Oh, hi, I'm Remus Lupin, only I'm a monster once a month?" Remus shouted. Normally, he wouldn't have said anything, but the full moon, Sirius figured, made him this way.

"No. But lying to us about your sick mother and grandma didn't help!" James shouted.

Remus, looking close to tears, said, "I know."

"I just wish there were some way we could help." James said, sitting down between a terrified Peter, who didn't like the idea that Remus was a werewolf, and a silent Sirius.

"Maybe there is." Sirius replied, and both boys looked at each other with a smile. Remus, panicking, began to try to get them to say whatever it was they were planning, but the plans were already set.

It took them the better part of three more years, and then some. But after their fourth year, when Remus became Moony, Peter became Wormtail, Sirius became Padfoot, and James became Prongs.

* * *

"You know, we wouldn't be here if you had stopped when you were told to." James said, but the lecture was tinged with amusement. It was clear that James didn't blame him in the least for his actions, Sirius thought.

"What, and not spell Snape?" Sirius looked annoyed at the idea. "There would be no point in the prank then."

"Every other Slytherin would be imagining spiders crawling up their legs, or bugs crawling on them, or-"

"Snakes!" Sirius said, cutting in, and quietly giving the teacher in charge of the detention his most charming smile when she told them to shush.

"That spell shows them their worst fear, and makes the feared thing bother them all day, Sirius." James said, annoyed. "And somehow I don't think a Slytherins worst fear can be snakes. Can it?" He asked himself. After a moment of putting some thought into it, he said, "well, I suppose it could, but somehow I highly doubt it."

"Why not?" Sirius asked, amused. His blue eyes were laughing again, as he had managed to get them into another detention. "I would fear a lion if it came up to me, and I'm in Gryffindor."

"Real Gryffindor bravery, Sirius." James mused.

Sirius went on to look faintly offended before saying, "You know, we're best friends."

"Yeah, I know."

"No." Sirius said, looking amused. "A friend will call you in prison. A good friend will visit you in prison. But a best friend will wind up next to you in prison, saying, `that was awesome.""

James considered his words for a moment before saying, "Well, this isn't really a prison…" both boys looked around for a moment, before turning back to each other in their desks and whispering,

"Close enough,"

* * *

"Padfoot, you bloody idiot!" James shouted, tearing apart the room. "I can't believe you'd do that! I mean, to Moony, and us, and our secret, and even Snape! I mean, I just can't believe you'd do that!"

"Do what, _Prongs_?" Sirius shouted, standing up from his position on the bed and coming into his own defense. "It's just a practical joke. He wanted to know where we went, well, now he knows!"

"But that could…" James drifted off as he realized just what it could do to Snape.

Ignoring his best friend's shouts, he raced out of the common room. He had to get to the Whomping Willow before Snape did.

James got there just in time, seeing Snape looking in the dark and under the light of the full moon for a stick to prod the knot of the willow with. "You don't want to do that!" James called out, aware that someone could hear them but at this point, not caring.

"And why wouldn't I want to be doing this? You can't cover up any longer, Potter." Snape said as he dove to freeze the willow tree in its motions.

Just as he did, Remus was in the tunnel. He looked up, his fangs revealed and glinting dangerously in the moonlight, his fur bristling, and his muzzle bunched in what could be called a growl.

Snape, too stunned, shocked, and scared to move, stood still and waited for the beast to kill him, but felt something grab the neck of his robes. Though he was gagging, he had to admit, it was one of Potter's noble acts.

He was disgusted by it.

"So you've been hiding a werewolf on the grounds, Potter?" Snape sneered, and James almost laughed. Even saving his life hadn't made Snivellus any more pleasant to James.

"No. Dumbledore's been hiding Remus, who is a werewolf only once every full moon, on the grounds, and you're lucky I happened to know where Sirius sent you."

Snape didn't say anything, but his eyes showed something akin to gratitude.

The next day, Sirius, James, Remus, Sirius and Peter were all called into Dumbledore's office. As this was not an unnatural occurrence, no one paid it any heed, but had they looked closer and they would've noticed Sirius looking, not-so-confident, James looking exhausted and mournful, Remus looking at Sirius with resentment, Peter with confusion, and Snape with horror at Remus. Peter looked downright confused, and all in all it was bedlam.

"I'd like an explanation." Dumbledore rumbled, looking angry.

Sirius, knowing this would be the last straw and he would be expelled for all of the trouble he caused prior and gotten caught and now this, started by saying, "I-"

But James cut him off, giving him a look. "I wasn't thinking, because my head is thick and my brain was permanently damaged somewhere along the way," Here, he looked at Sirius with even more malice and meaning, "and I wanted to get a kick out of Snape and his fear. We knew his fear was werewolves from that prank we did three years ago on all of the Slytherins, and I was sick of Snape asking where we were getting to every full moon. So I lured him there under false pretenses, and almost let Remus attack him. Sirius-" Here his voice thinned and betrayed him, but he continued. "He didn't think it was a good idea, and pulled Snape back."

Anyone could tell he was lying, but no one corrected his version. Dumbledore nodded, and here, Sirius mentally cursed himself. He couldn't just let his best friend get expelled in his place! But by taking the blame, James knew what would happen…

"You need to be more careful about your secret, Mr. Potter. I had thought your friendships meant more to you than that." Here, Sirius could swear he felt the Headmaster's piercing blue eyes on him, but when he turned again, they were focused solely on James.

"I'm sorry." James hung his head in shame. `So am I.' Sirius thought, feeling sick with himself for letting James take the blame.

"Yes, well, there's only a week left of school, and I'm suspending you for it. But you'll be back next year, am I correct, Mr. Potter?"

James smiled, and looked up at the Headmaster in gratitude. "Of course, Headmaster!" He replied, enthusiastically. "Oh, bugger!" He exclaimed a moment later, his face darkening considerably. "Mum." James explained, making a face.

"I'm sure your mother will understand." Dumbledore said, making it clear that James's mother would know the truth. Mentally, Sirius cursed. Mrs. Potter would be furious at him. But eventually she'd forgive him.

"Thank you, Headmaster." He said quietly, looking up. " I need to go…pack." He choked up at the last part. The train rides, Sirius thought sadly, were James's favorite parts of the year. `Say something! Damn, Sirius, say anything to get him out of this! This isn't fair!'

Instead he ended up watching his friend's retreating back, still sitting in the chair. Remus glared at Sirius one final time before leaving with an abrupt nod to the Headmaster in thanks. Peter followed shortly, and Snape looked at him with open disgust, saying aloud,

"Even I have never sunk that low."

Dumbledore surveyed his over his half-moon spectacles, eyes as good as glowing. "You're lucky. He's a good friend."

"No." Sirius replied sadly. "He's a best friend. I've got to go apologize and grovel and beg for a few hours." But as he walked out, he looked met Dumbledore's piecing blue eyes with sapphire eyes of his own and said, "But thank you. I know."

* * *

"That was a noble thing to do." Lily Evans said as she watched James, bags and all, leave through the doors the next morning.

James stopped in his tracks and set his stuff down, saying, "Snape told you?"

"Yes, Severus told me what you did for him." She walked away from the corner she'd been hiding in to say, "But he also told me what happened yesterday in the Headmaster's office."

"So he told our secret, when that was the only thing I asked him not to do." James stated blandly.

"No." Lily corrected, now standing in front of James. "No, I already knew about Remus being what he is-" James went to defend his friend when Lily said, "once every month."

"Sorry." James said, shutting his mouth. "I'm just so used to defending him. So why're you here?"

"Just to say that that was honorable, and that whether or not Severus said it, he's grateful." She shifted, looking a little less confident.

"What was honorable? What I did for Snape or what I did for Sirius?" He asked, amused. Lily smiled up at him, and inside fireworks went off. `I GOT HER TO SMILE!'

"Both." She said simply, and kissed him on his cheek timidly. James stood stock-still for a second before blinking in surprise and turning to face her. Blushing vividly, she said, "See you next year, Potter," and walked away.

Maybe there was something to be said for Sirius getting him into trouble.

* * *

None of the Marauders had kept contact with Padfoot since the incident, although Sirius had begged on bended knee for their forgiveness.

But James didn't seem surprised to see Sirius standing on his doorstep at three in the morning more than a month after not saying anything to him. Instead, he had simply sat in bed and waited for his best friend to come, just as he knew he would, and the opened the door when Sirius had come.

Sirius was now standing in the dark outside the porch light, in the shadows.

"Bad?" James asked, referring to Sirius's family. Every time he had one of those feelings, the ones where he couldn't sleep despite how tired he was, he knew something was happening with Sirius, and that it was almost always his family.

"Yeah."

"What happened?" James asked, curious.

"Ask my mum." Sirius replied, voice rough. "But I don't think I'm welcome back anytime soon." James opened the door, and Sirius stepped in, doing what was habit at the Potters, slipping off his shoes and peeling his socks from his feet. Both were soaking wet from the long walk from the Knight bus to the house, as the Potter's driveway was rather long and it was pouring.

Then, both boys headed upstairs for some much needed sleep, Sirius rubbing the cheek his mother had slapped when she had disowned him. She had never hit him before, and never would again.

Both boys then went to their respective rooms, neither saying a word. No words were needed.

* * *

"Peter would be perfect!" Sirius argued, throwing up his arms. " I mean, honestly, he's the least-likely! And we already know-"

"We don't know that the traitor is Remus!" Lily argued. "And we know you aren't the one giving Voldemort information. Personally, for my son and husband's protection, I'd like to keep you as our secret-keeper!" James growled in frustration.

"I'd rather like to refrain from another row, thank you!" James said, annoyed, and both hastily apologized before James lost his temper.

"I'm sorry, Sirius." Lily apologized. "But being cooped up in here's becoming too much!"

"I understand, Lils." Sirius reassured. "Believe me, it's fine. We can make the switch tonight!" Everyone in the small cottage agreed. The switch would be made that night.

Sirius, Lily, and James all tried in vain to soothe baby Harry, and he cried until he slept, struggling.

It was the last time Sirius Black got James Potter in trouble.

* * *

Thus, Sirius Black sat in his cell in Azkaban, thinking over and over something that burned every time.

Peter should've called him in prison. Remus would've visited him in prison. James…James should've been next to him in prison, laughing about it until they were both proven innocent of a crime neither had committed.

But James Potter was dead, and Sirius Black was in prison, and very much alone.


End file.
